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What is HYPERLOOP?

Hyperloop is a tube-based transportation system. It uses magnetic levitation, an electric motor and an aluminum track to propel passenger and cargo capsules through a network of low-pressure tubes at supersonic speeds with almost zero friction.

Gaining Momentum

The idea of a futuristic, tube-based transportation system has been around for a long time, as early as the 1800s. In 2013, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared his vision and research for a network of tubes that would move people and goods between cities that he named the hyperloop. He encouraged others to begin work on the project so he could focus on other things. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) was the first company founded to bring hyperloop to life.

HyperloopTT is an innovative company creating and licensing technologies. Founded in 2013, it is a global team comprised of more than 800 engineers, creatives and technologists from 40 countries working in partnership with corporations and universities. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, the company has offices in North and South America, Europe and Asia.

Developing the Future of Transportation Today

The goal of a hyperloop is to help solve the problems of traffic congestion, overpopulation and pollution. Hyperloop provides a safe and efficient transportation solution that significantly improves travel and economic opportunities by allowing people to live further from cities and their jobs, changing travel times from hours to just minutes.

Hyperloop is also powered by a a combination of alternative energy sources - like sunshine and magnets - with the potential to produce more energy than it consumes. New advancements in technology, and the thousands of people around the globe dedicated to creating the "fifth mode of transportation," are working making the hyperloop a reality.

What's the Science?

The hyperloop capsule is powered by a linear electric motor. This motor contains two components; a rotor that moves and a stator that is a stationary electromagnet. The rotor is located on the capsule and the stator is located on the track below.

Every hyperloop trip begins and ends on "low-speed" wheels. At around 80 mph, a special array of magnets on the bottom of the capsule induce currents in the aluminum track below. The interaction between these currents and the magnets lift the capsule up off the track. This levitation eliminates the friction from the wheels rolling on the track, making the hyperloop energy efficient.

When electricity passes through the stator/electromagnet, the rotor is attracted to it and the capsule begins to move. The capsule is propelled forward magnetically as its rotor moves over the stationary stator on the track.

A series of vacuum pumps remove most of the air inside the hyperloop tubes, creating a low-pressure environment that dramatically reduces air resistance and drag. The combined reduction in drag and friction allows the capsule to move at ultra-high speeds using only a small amount of electricity.